Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients
1 pound 93% lean ground beef
one 12-ounce package 50% less fat sausage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 large bell peppers
one 4-ounce can mushroom pieces
one 8-ounce can tomato sauce
one 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup instant rice
aluminum foil

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Fill saucepan 3/4 full of hot water, cover and place on high heat to boil for bell peppers.
3. Preheat sauté pan on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.
4. Place ground beef, sausage, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in sauté pan. Cook for 7-10 minutes until brown, and all pink is gone. Stir frequently, breaking meat up into small crumbles as it cooks. Drain well.
5. Wash bell peppers; cut tops off and remove seeds. Trim bottom of bell peppers evenly. (This will help peppers to stand upright.) Add peppers to boiling water, cover and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Stir into meat mixture: drained mushrooms, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (including liquid) and rice. Cook for 3 minutes.
7. Using tongs, remove bell peppers and stand upright in 8-inch baking dish.
8. Remove meat mixture from heat and pack each bell pepper with mixture, mounding the top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Serve.

(Recipe courtesy of Publix Aprons Simple Meals)